Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- PATENT
70~L4
SPECIFICATION
John A. Grove
John W. Grove
ADJUSTABLE INSERT FOR TWIN CASTING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an insert ror a continuous
caster mold to facilitate the casting of more than one strand in
said mold, and particularly to a method and apparatus ~or
adjusting the spacing as well as the taper of opposed wall faces
of the insert.
It is known to install an insert in the cavity of a
continuous caster mold to establish plural mold cavities for the
casting of more than one strand in the mold. U. S. ~atent
3,717,197, Strack et al discloses an insert for this purpose.
The reference apparatus is adjustable so as to permit tilting o~
opposed wall faces of the insert In opposite directions. Plates
forming the wall faces are pivotally linked to the lower end o~
a stationary divider wall portion of the insert which in turn is
connected to the wide or long sides of the mold. Changes in the
spacing between each outer short side of the mold ~nd opposed ~
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wall faces of the insert are made by adjustment of the position
of the outer short sides of the mold.
There are a number of problems with such a system in
which the strand width is changed solely by adjusting the
position of the outer short sides of the mold. For example,
where computer control is used to set the spacing o~ mold walls
it is desirable to have the opposed wall faces of the insert
always set at the same spaced locations in order to get the
same slab width from measured readings of mold short side wall
positions. Since the opposed faces of the insert wear and may
be repaired by face-off machining, tne actual spacing would
vary each time a new or repaired insert is installed. Another
reason that it is desirable to set opposed wall faces of the
insert at the same spacing is the need for positioning them at
the same location with respect to worn spots on the longer
sides of the mold each ti~e the insert is installed in the
mold. Failure to set the opposed wall faces of the insert at
the same location with respect to the broad faces of the mold
results in the focmation of poocly-shaped corners on the slabs
being cast. U. S. Patent 4,22~,717, Scheinecker shows a
typical pattern of wear on the mold wall faces. Finally, it is
desirable to be able to set the opposed wall ~aces of the
insert at the same position so as to obtain a good seal between
the mold and starter bar at the beginning of casting.
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The Strack et al patent discloses that a wedge may be
used as an alternative to screws for spreading the upper ends of
the wall faces to change their angular alignment. The use of
wedges at both the upper and lower ends would normally permit
adjustment of the wall spacing, but not their angular
alignment. I have found that provision can be made for
adjustment of angular alignment as well as spacing utilizing
upper and lower wedges and that the use of such wedges providDs
a more rigid structure due to contact of the wedges along a
horizontal line with the mateable sur~aces of ramps adjoining
each wedge instead of the more limited ~point~ contact area when
screws are used. The improved rigidity prevents variation in
the set taper from occurring during casting, except as desired,
decreasing the possibility of breakouts which may be caused
thereby.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to
provide a method of installing an insert in a continuous caster
moLd, said insert having apparatus for adjusting the spacing as
well as the angular alignment o~ opposed wall faces thereoE,
said apparatus providing increased eigidity so that the desired
angu}ar alignment of the wall faces is maintained during castinq~
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~22~
SUM~ARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an insert for use in a
continuous caster mold~ said mold having opposed pairs of broad
and narrow mold walls. The insert is adapted to be mounted in
position between opposed broad walls of the mold to facilitate
the casting of more than one strand in the mold. The insert has
opposed wall faces of width mateable with the opposed narrow
walls of the mold, said opposed wall faces being aligned in
position facing the narrow mold walls. The insert includes
means for adjusting the taper or angular alignment of its
opposed wall faces with respect to a direction in which ~etal is
cast through the mold. In the improvement of this invention,
the insert includes a plate member centrally located between
opposed wall faces of the inset and aligned generally parallel
to the insert wall faces. The plate member is adapted to be
attached to the broad mold walls. The plate member has a pair
o~E slots extending through it to openings facing the insert wall
faces. The slots are located at spaced positions adjacent
opposed ends of the insert wall faces in the casting direction.
A pair of wedges are mounted in the slots in the plate member
and are slidably movable in said slots in the casting
direction. Each wedge has a first pair of opposed pressure
contact surfaces facing the insert wall faces and angularly
aligned with respect to the direction of casting. The first
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pair o~ pressure contact surfaces are inclined at opposed equal
angles with respect to the casting direc~ion. A first pair of
ramps is secured to the insert wall faces. Each of the first
pair of ramps has a pressure contact surface mateably aligned
with respect to one of the first pair of opposed wedge pressure
contact surfaces and is located adjacent to said surface for
making sliding contact with it. At least one surface in each
adjoining pair of wedge and first pair o~ ramp pressure contact
surfaces has a convex curvature, the curvature being sufficient
to permit adjustmçnt of the angular alignment or tilting of the
opposed wall faces as required at the various spacing distances
of the wedges in said slots. Means is provided for tiltably
connecting the inset wall faces to the plate member. Also,
means is provided for independent actuation of the wedge in each
slot in order to move it slidably in the casting direction, in
order to vary the spacing distance of the wedges in said slots,
thereby adjusting both the spacing and angular alignment of the
insert wall faces. A method is also provided for installing
said insert into a continuous caster mold to enable casting
plural strands in the mold.
BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~INGS
Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the improved
insert of this lnvention, as installed ln a continuous caster
mold.
- ~ - John A. & John W. Grove
~227~
Figure 2 is a section taken at II-II of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section taken at III-III of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of one of the
wedges and the associated ramp surfaces on a larger scale.
Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of one of the
wedges and associated ramp surfaces in different positions than
shown in Figure 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1 an insert of conventional type
such as disclosed in U. S. Patent 3,737,197 incLudes two opposed
tiltable wall face assemblies. The wall face assemblies are
generally comprised of copper alloy wear plates 12, 14 attached
to steel support plates 16, 18. The improvement of this
invention includes a plate member 20 centrally located between
the opposed wall face assemblies and generally in parallel
alignment with respect thereto. The plate member is adapted for
attachment to the broad walls of -the caster mold, one of which
is illustrated at 22 in Figure 1. Such attachment can be
accomplished for example by insertion of keys 24 and 26
(Figure 2) in keyway slots located in a retaining plate 28
secured to plate member 20. The keys also fit in mateable
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., .
~2~
keyway slots (not shown) provided in the top surface of the
broad mold walls. The plate member has a pair of slots 30, 32
located at spaced positions adjacent opposed ends of the insert
wall faces in the direction of casting 34. A pair of wedges 36,
38 are mounted in the slots so as to be slidably movable in the
slots in the casting direction. Each wedge has a first pair of
pressure contact surfaces 40, 42 inclined at opposed e~ual
angles with respect to the casting direction. Preferably the
angle of inclination of the first pair of pressure contact
surfaces of each wedge is equal to the angle of inclination of
the corresponding first pair of the opposed pressure contact
surfaces of the other wedge. A first pair of ramps 44, 46 are
secured to the steel support plates 16, 18 adjacent to the ~irst
pair of pressure contact surfaces of each wedge. The ramps have
surfaces 47, 49 generally of mateable alignment with said first
pair of opposed pressure contact surface of each wedge. At
least one surface in eacn of the aforementioned wedge and ramp
pressure contact surfaces has a convex curvature suf~icient to
permit tilting of t~e insert wall faces as described below. In
the embodiment shown, ramp pressure contact surfaces have a
convex curvature and the wedge surfaces are planar. This might
be reversed so that the ramp surfaces are plan~r and the wedge
surfaces convex, or both might have a convex curvature. Means
are provided for independent actuation of each ~edge to move the
wedges slidably in the slots in the plate member. For example,
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~2270~ ~
spindles 48, 50 are threaded at their lower ends so as to
threadedly engage a threaded bore in each wedge. The spindles
are separately actuable for causing movement of each wedge
independently of the other.
Ueans is also provided for tiltably connecting the
insert wall faces to the plate member. Such tiltable connection
might be accomplished by tiltably connecting the opposed wall
faces to eacb other or by tiltably connecting them directly to
the plate member. For example, the opposed wall faces may be
tiltably connected to the plate member at locations adjacent
their opposed ends in the casting direction as shown in Figure 1.
The tiltable connecting means shown includes a second pair of
ramps 52, 54 associated with each wedge, the ramps being secured
to the steel support plates 16, 18, respectively. These ramps
have pressure contact surfaces S6, S~ generally of mateable
alignment with respect to a second pair of opposed pressure
contact surfaces 60, 62 of each wedge. Again, at least one
surface in each adjoining pair of these latter wedge and ramp
pressure contact surfaces 56, 60 and 58, 62 has a convex
curvature sufficient to permit tilting of the insert wall faces
as required at the various spacing distances of the wed~es. In
the embodiment shown the pressure contact surfaces 56, 58 of the
ramps have a convex curvature while the wedge surfaces are
planar. As mentioned previously, both of the contact surfaces
- 8 - John A. ~ John W. Grove
3~227~
in each adjoining pair would have a convex curvature although
this is not preferred. The second pair of ramps and the plate
member also have adjoining pressure contact surfaces 63, 64
which are aligned in a generally normal direction at a right
angle with respect to the casting direction. Pressure contact
surface 63 of each ramp also has a convex curvature sufficient
to permit tilting as required.
The upward and downward motion of the wedges in
Figure 1 cause both a sliding and rotating motion of the
opposed wall faces of the insert. The insert wall faces slide
inwardly and outwardly in a horizontal direction 70 and also
rotate in a circular motion on arcs formed by equal radii 72,
73 about axes 74, 76, respectively. The insert wall faces
slide to positions having a vertical alignment with respect to
Figure 1 when the wedges are adjusted so as to be equally
spaced from the axes 74, 76. Movement o~ one of ~he wedges to
a different spacing from those axes causes tilting of the
insert wall faces. The radius of curvature 78 (Figures 4 and
5~ of each contact sucface 63 should tle substantially equal to
radii 72 and 73 in Figure 1 in order to permit tilting in the
circular motion just mentioned. The radii of curvature of ramp
surfaces 47, 49 and 60, 62 are all substantially equal with the
exception of greater clearance provided in surfaces 60, 62.
These latter four radii designated 80 in Figures 4 and 5 have a
value within a range defined by the following relationships:
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~227C~4
R minimum ~ c/sin ~ where c i5 the
distance 84 from the axes 74, 76 to the
line of pressure contact of the adjoining
first pair of eamp and wedge surfaces and
e is the eamp pressure angle 90 with respect
to the horizontal direction in Figure 1.
R maximum = D/sinc~ where D is the
distance 92 from the line of pressure
contact of the first pair of ramp and
wedge pressure contact surfaces to the
outermost extent of the wedge and o~
is the maximum angular rotation 94 of the
opposed wall faces of the insert.
In using the insert of this invention, the insert is
installed in the caster mold with its opposed wall faces aligned
facing the narrow outer faces of the mold. The insert is
secured to the mold by insertion of keys 24 and 26 in the slots
provided in retaining plate 28. Then the spacing of the upper
and lower ends of the opposed wall facles are separately adiusted
so as to locate the upper and lower en~s at a predetermined
location with respect to broad mold walls, for example, at the
same location as the opposed wall ~aces of an insert previously
used in the mold. Preferably the spacing is set so as to
posLtion the insert wall aces at the location of worn spots on
- 10 - John A. ~ John W. Grove
the broad walls of the caster mold. Such worn spots are
disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,223,717. After adjustment of the
spacing, the angular alignment of the opposed wall faces is
adjusted by making minor corrections in the spacing of the
upper or lower ends of the said opposed wall faces, or both of
them. Preferably, the lower ends are adjusted to make the
correction necessary for obtaining the desired angular alignment.
